Back to Abnormal
by Maria Kintobor
Summary: Second episode of my fanmade season of Sonic X. Maria and Eggman meet for the first time ever!
1. It Runs in the Family

Sonic X - (Fanmade) Season

Story 2: Back to Abnormal

DISCLAIMER: Characters, places, and objects are trademarks of Sega, Sonic Team, and/or Sonic Project.

Author's Note:  
Here's episode two of my fanmade season of "Sonic X". The first chapter of this fic picks up where the last chapter of the previous fic left off. But it's recommended you read that story first so that you'd be less confused. That said, I should clue you in on how Maria's fitting in on Christopher Thorndyke's world. She's just gotten over the fact that Eggman is her cousin, but now, she has to deal with the fact that her own grandfather tried to destroy the planet after losing her! Meanwhile, Shadow's going through his own conflict. Since he still has amnesia, he's trying to figure out why Maria keeps showing up in his memory. And since Maria's narrating in this chapter, her narration will be in italic. There's a lot of ground to cover, so, let's start exploring. ONWARD!

Chapter 1 - It Runs in the Family

Inside the Thorndyke mansion on a sunny afternoon, Maria picks up a cup of tea from the coffee table in the living room. She takes a sip of the tea as she sits on the couch, worriedly.

"I still can't believe my grandfather and this Dr. Eggman are actually related," Maria sighs.

There is a moment of silence. Chris and Chuck sit beside her on the couch. Helen is beside the couch on Chris' side. Tails sits on the couch by Chuck's other side. Sonic sits on an armrest on the couch beside Tails. Knuckles stands beside the couch beside Sonic. Amy, Cream, Cheese, and Vanilla sit on the floor in front of the coffee table across from the couch. The Chaotix - Vector the Crocodile, Charmy Bee, and Espio the Chameleon stand in front of the wall and beside the TV. Tanaka and Ella stand at the other side. Everyone looks at Maria in concern.

Maria looks at Sonic and tells him, "I thought you said he was a bad man."

"He is," Sonic explains. "But he credits his so-called genius to his grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik. Why, he practic'lly worships the ground this guy walks on, given the chance."

"In a way," Tails adds, "Gerald and Eggman are very similar. They're both smart, they both invent things, and..." he sadly looks down and concludes, "...they both turned evil."

Maria gasps in shock upon hearing this.

"Grandfather, evil?"

"Maria," Chris says as Maria looks at him, "your grandfather tried to destroy this planet. He wanted to avenge you."

"He did it for me? But why?" Maria asks.

Chuck asks Maria as she looks at him, "Do you remember the day the military shut down the ARK?"

Maria sadly looks down with a sigh.

"I'm afraid so."

Flashback sequence: Fifty years ago, military soldiers run down the hallway of the Space Colony ARK. In one of the ARK's research rooms, some scientists were examining a kimono dragon inside a glass chamber. Suddenly, the door slides open, revealing the soldiers standing there with determined looks on their faces. Maria narrates.

_They came to stop the research on the colony._

The soldiers had their rifles pointed at the scientists who had their hands in the air as if they were under arrest.

_They believed there was an accident on the ARK and wanted the experiments to stop._

One of the soldiers examines a chamber filled with a bubbling blue liquid with a strange silhouetted figure inside.

_I was there that day. I could tell they were scared of what my grandfather had created._

Suddenly, the soldier notices something across from him with a gasp in shock. Maria was standing in the corner of the room, worriedly watching the scene. She gasps as she noticed the soldier looking at her. She quickly runs out of the room in fright.

The soldier runs after Maria, calling, "Stop!"

Maria runs down the hallway, panting.

_I couldn't let them take Shadow away._

She approaches a room at the end of the hall. The door opens and she enters the room as the door closes behind her.

_So, I did what I had to do._

The soldier, who had been chasing after her, goes to the door, but it won't open for him. So, he has his back to the door and looks through its window. In the room are two containers, each with a mysterious figure within.

"It's the creature."

Maria stands at the control panel with her hand on the lever, looking at the containers.

"She's setting it free!"

He shoots at the door's electronic lock, causing the lock to explode which makes the door open.

"Freeze!"

Maria looks back at him with a gasp. He stands in the doorway with his rifle pointed at her.

The soldier tells her, sternly, "Take your hand off that lever."

Maria looks back at the lever and puts her other hand on it.

"I'm not fooling around here!" the soldier demands.

Maria becomes determined. She pulls the lever down. The soldier cries out in agony as he shoots at her. Suddenly, he drops his rifle and hangs his head down in shame. Maria resumes narrating.

_The shot only scratched my arm and hip. Even if he didn't shoot, I still collapsed after using all my energy to send the capsules to this planet._

The flashback ends. Back in the present day, Maria still looks down, sadly.

"I remained unconscious after that."

Everyone looks at her in concern.

"When I woke up, I saw Chris and... you know the rest," Maria concludes.

Topaz's voice spoke up, "So, that explains it."

Everyone (including Maria) gasp in surprise as they look at Topaz and Rouge who had just entered the room. The two stand at the door while Topaz holds a laptop computer under her arm.

"Explains what, Topaz?" wonders Maria.

Topaz explains, "The soldiers must have taken pity on you and put you in that capsule where you slept for fifty years. That is, until we found you."

"Your grandfather never knew where you were and blamed the government for your disapperance," Rouge added. "He wanted to destroy the people of this planet for losing you. ...forever."

Maria tries to deny this, "No. You're wrong." She turns her head away and closes her eyes, crying out, "Grandfather would never...!"

Topaz interrupts Maria who looks at her, "Your grandfather left this message on the ARK..." she brings the laptop out from under her arm and puts on the table in front of Maria as she continues, "which activated when the seven Chaos Emeralds were brought together on the colony."

She opens the laptop, facing Maria. Then, Topaz pushes a button on the keyboard causing its screen to bring up a video of Professor Gerald Robotnik tied to a chair in front of a brick wall with writings of mathematic equations on it. Everyone watches the screen, worriedly.

"This is a death sentence for every human being on the planet," Professor Gerald proclaimed. "I plan to give you a taste of my revenge once the seven Chaos Emeralds are collected."

Closeup of Chris watching the message.

"If my calculations are correct, Space Colony ARK will impact the planet with devastating force!"

Closeup of Sonic watching the message.

"All of you will be destroyed along with your beloved planet."

Closeup of Chuck watching the message.

"Once I initiate this program, it cannot be disabled."

Closeup of the laptop screen showing Professor Gerald giving his message.

"All of you ungrateful humans, who took everything away from me, will feel my loss and despair!"

Then, a soldier's voice is heard on the message.

"Is there anything else you want to say?" the soldier asked.

Professor Gerald shook his head, "No."

The soldier gave the command, "Ready!"

Maria watches the screen in horror as gun shots rang out in the message on the laptop. Maria cries into Chris' chest as he gives her a comforting hug. Topaz pushes a button on the keyboard which turns off the screen.

"The message loops after that," Topaz explains to Maria.

She puts the laptop under her arm as she and Rouge look at Maria in concern.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Maria," Topaz said, gently, "but it was important for you to know."

Maria looks up at Chris, asking, "How could he do it, Chris? How could he be so cruel?"

She closes her eyes and brings her head into Chris' chest again.

"It's just not fair!"

Maria continues crying as Chris holds her close. Chuck, Tails, Sonic, and Knuckles look at Maria, worriedly. As do the Chaotix, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Vanilla, Tanaka, and Ella. Then, Topaz, Rouge, and Helen. Meanwhile, outside the mansion, Shadow stands on a branch of a nearby tree and looks at Maria through the lower window with a look of uncertainty on his face.

He thinks, "Professor Gerald Robotnik, Space Colony ARK, Maria... Somehow, I feel they are a significant part of my past, but why? And for what purpose?"

He concentrates on Maria.

"Could this girl be the key tounlocking my memory?" thinks Shadow.

Meanwhile, in a pyramid out in the desert, lights come on inside a control room. There, Eggman stands in front of the doorway with Decoe, Bocoe, and Bokkun behind him.

"Ah, it sure feels good to be back!" Eggman gloats. He walks to the center of the room and says, "My ol' home away from home!" He faces his robots and exclaims, "It's as if we never left!"

"I am surprised the government never found this room," Decoe pointed out. "Look at how neat and clean it is."

"Perhaps they never took the time to look for it after we left," Bocoe assumed.

"So, what's the plan, boss?" Bokkun excitedly asked Eggman.

Eggman mischieviously grins.

"Oh, I think I'll start with something simple."

A/N:  
Ooh, Eggman's got a plan already. He says it's something simple. I wonder how simple. Find out in the next chapter coming soon. In the meantime, read and review!


	2. Mall Madness

DISCLAIMER: Characters, places, and objects are trademarks of Sega, Sonic Team, and/or Sonic Project

Author's Note:  
Attention, all shoppers! Now, we get to the fun part: The mall! This is where the girls take Maria shopping for some new clothes so that she can fit in with the crowd. This is also where Eggman hatches (pardon the pun) his latest scheme. You'll see when you get there. And since Cream narrates her experience with Emerl, her narration will be in italic. Plus, any anime emotional "enhancements" will be in bold. So, let's shop 'til we drop!

Chapter 2 - Mall Madness

Tails' plant sprout, Cosmo 2, sits in the sunshine on a windowsill of the mansion. The Chaotix stand outside the mansion in front of the open front doors, facing Tails and Chuck who are in the doorway.

"Are you sure you can't stay with us here in the mansion?" Tails asks them.

"We have plenty of room here," Chuck points out.

"Thanks anyway," Vector declines. "We'd rather set up shop in town. Business, ya know." He winks, "Besides, you guys can get along just fine without us." He motions to Espio and Charmy and tells them, "C'mon, boys, let's get movin'!"

The Chaotix turn and walk away from the mansion.

"Oh, boy! Big city, here we come!" Charmy exclaims.

"I'm not partial to bright lights myself," complains Espio.

Tails and Chuck chuckle as they watch the Chaotix leave. Inside the main hall, Topaz and Rouge stand near the entrance to the living room.

"Now that you're back, Rouge," Topaz tells Rouge as she takes a military badge out of her pocket, "I've a feeling you might be needing this."

She shows the badge to Rouge.

"My government badge," Rouge says in awe.

She takes the badge from Topaz's hand and admires it.

"The president knew we would need you again someday," she tells Rouge.

Rouge salutes, proclaiming, "You can count on me, agent Rouge reporting for duty."

Topaz beams, "I knew you would say that."

Nearby, Chris holds his head in worry on the stairrail. Soon, Sonic slides down the other rail with his feet, wearing the soap shoes Chris had made for him during the Meterex adventure.

"Ha ha ha!" Sonic laughs as he slides down the rail, "Yeah! Ha ha!"

He jumps off the rail and lands on a step.

Sonic admires his soap shoes, "Nice of you to keep these shoes you made for me, Chris."

Chris just sighs, "Glad you like them, Sonic."

He doesn't look at Sonic, but he heard every word. Sonic looks at Chris, curiously.

"Hey, what's wrong, buddy?" Sonic asks Chris.

Chris looks at Sonic and explains, "I'm really worried about Maria. I mean, when she saw her grandfather like that," he brings his head down and concludes, "she didn't take it too well."

"She'll be fine," Sonic assures Chris.

Chris gasps upon hearing this and looks at Sonic who smiles at him.

"Maria just needs some time," Sonic explains. "And with the girls taking her shopping, she'll be smiling before you know it."

Chris smiles, "Yeah, you're right, Sonic."

Sonic gives a thumbs up and winks, "Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

Meanwhile, at the Station Square mall, in one of the department stores, Maria excitedly stands in front of three mirrors wearing a light blue shirt with a ruffle for a sleeve which hangs over her right shoulder, form-fitting pants as blue as Sonic, light blue short socks, and her white shoes which she ordinarily wore with her blue dress. Maria is admiring her new clothes as Amy, Cream, Cheese, Vanilla, and Helen happily look on.

"So, what do you think, Maria?" asks Helen.

Maria faces the others and tells them, "Wow! These clothes are so stunning! I love them! Thank you!"

Vanilla beams, "It was our pleasure, dear."

"Anything for our new friend!" Amy agrees.

"We're glad you like them," Cream adds.

Cheese agrees, "Chao chao!"

Maria laughs, pleased with her friends reaction. Later, they look at more clothes. Amy looks at Maria.

"So, Maria," Amy asks as Maria looks at her, "you said there were two capsules. Did one of them have Shadow?"

"Why, yes, it did," Maria replies.

"Then, who was in the other one?" Amy wonders.

Maria explains, "It was an experiment my grandfather was working on, a gold robot."

Cream and Cheese gasp in shock upon hearing this and look at Maria with tears in their eyes.

"You mean, Emerl?" Cream asks, worriedly.

Amy and Maria, along with Vanilla and Helen, look at Cream and Cheese in concern.

"Why, yes, but how do you know its name?" Maria asks Cream.

Cream and Cheese just stayed still, sadness building up inside them. Then, they rush out of the store, bawling. The others worriedly look on.

"Oh, Cream!" says Vanilla.

"It's all my fault!" Amy blames herself, "I shouldn't have said anything!"

"It's not your fault, Amy," Helen assures Amy. "You didn't know this would happen."

Maria runs after Cream and Cheese, saying, "I'll go talk to her."

Helen, Amy, and Vanilla look at Maria upon hearing this.

"Are you sure, Maria?" Helen asks Maria.

Maria stops and looks back at the others.

"Trust me," she assures them, "it's better this way."

She turns and heads out of the store to find Cream and Cheese as the others look on in concern. Maria looks around the mall as she passes by a few stores. She then finds Cream and Cheese sitting on a bench nearby, sniffing. Maria goes to them.

Maria stands beside Cream and asks, "Is this seat taken?"

Cream shakes her head and Maria sits beside her.

"I'm sorry," Maria comforts Cream. "I didn't know it would make you sad."

"It's not your fault," Cream tells Maria.

"Oh?"

"You weren't there when he was gone," Cream explains.

"Gone?" Maria asks in surprise. "Well, could you tell me what happened?" She worriedly adds, "Unless, of course, if it bothers you..."

Cream calms down and looks at Maria, telling her, "I don't mind. You see, Emerl was once a friend of mine."

A brief flashback of Cream and Cheese finding Emerl in a bush outside the Thorndyke mansion six years ago. Cream narrates.

_Six years ago on this world, I found him in the bushes outside of Chris' house._

Then, there's another memory of Cream, Cheese, and Emerl, this time, riding in the back of Mr. Stewart's car, laughing.

_And we've been friends ever since._

Then, came a memory of Emerl giving Cream a bouquet of pink flowers.

_Then, one day, something happened to him._

Suddenly, there comes the memory of Emerl absorbing the red Chaos Emerald and his eyes turning red and he starts destroying the battle arena.

_After winning a Chaos Emerald in a fighting tournament, he started attacking everything..._

Then, Emerl knocks away Sonic and Rouge with a Sonic spin attack. Then, Emerl knocks Knuckles away with a screw kick.

_...and everyone..._

Suddenly, Emerl screw kicks toward Vanilla who becomes scared upon seeing this.

_...including my mom._

Sonic quickly pulls Vanilla out of the way right before Emerl's kick impacts. Later on, Cream pushes Emerl into the ocean with her feet. Upon falling into the ocean, his eyes become normal as oil leaks from them.

_I had no other choice but to stop him even if it means losing him forever._

Suddenly, a huge splash comes to the surface where Emerl fell in, which makes Cream and Cheese gasp in surprise upon seeing this as Cream flies while holding Cheese in her arms. Then, Cream starts to whimper until she and Cheese finally bawl. A rainbow appears in the sunset sky.

"Goodbye, Emerl," Cream sadly replies.

With that, the flashback is over as Cream sits between Maria and Cheese. Cream sadly hangs her head down.

"It was the hardest thing I ever did, but it had to be done," Cream tells Maria.

Maria puts her arm around Cream to comfort her.

"I know how it feels to lose a friend," Maria explains. "I wanted to go with Shadow the day the ARK was attacked, but deep in my heart, I knew sending him to this planet was the right thing to do." She smiles as Cream looks at her in curiosity, "You did the right thing, too. And Emerl will always be in your heart just as Shadow is in mine."

Cream smiles, "Thank you, Maria."

She and Maria hug as Cheese happily flies to the top of Maria's head and lays on it as if to give it a hug. Then, Maria and Cream come out of their embrace and look at each other as Cheese looks on, still on top of Maria's head.

"Ready to go back, now?" Maria gently asks.

Cream nods. Holding hands, Maria leads Cream back to the department store they came out of while Cheese rides on Maria's head. Suddenly, they stop as soon as they enter and gasp in horror. People are walking around the store, acting like zombies. You can tell by looking at their trance-induced eyes. Cheese hovers over Cream's head.

"What's going on?" Cream asks.

"I don't know," Maria replies. "It's like ev'rybody's hypnotized."

Maria notices Helen from the back.

Maria runs to Helen and calls to her, "Helen!" She stands beside Helen and asks her, "What happened?"

"It's a new perfume ev'rybody's wearing," Helen explains in a trance-like voice. Then, she looks at Maria with her eyes in a trance, adding, "Why don't you try it?"

She holds up a lavender perfume bottle. Maria gasps in shock upon seeing Helen as a zombie.

"Oh, no! Not you, too!"

Cream and Cheese worriedly run to Amy.

"Amy, something's wrong with ev'ryone," Cream tells Amy.

"Chao chao!" Cheese agrees.

"Don't be silly," Amy tells Cream in a trance-like voice. "Ev'ryone's just fine." Then, she looks at Cream with her eyes in a trance, adding, "You'll will be, too, once you try this new perfume."

She holds up a perfume bottle the same color as Helen's and Cream and Cheese gasp in shock as they slowly back away from Amy.

"Amy, you're scaring me," Cream says in fear.

Vanilla stands behind Cream and Cheese.

"There's nothing to be scared of," Vanilla tells Cream in a trance-like voice.

Cream and Cheese look at Vanilla whose eyes are in a trance.

Vanilla holds up a perfume bottle the same color as Helen's and Amy's, urging, "Just try this new perfume and it will be all better."

Cream and Cheese back away from Vanilla in horror.

"Mother, no! How could you do this?" Cream cries.

Meanwhile, the zombie-like people surround Maria while holding up lavender perfume bottles (or cologne bottles for the men) and chanting "Try it." over and over.

Maria looks around in horror and she concludes, "This new perfume has put a spell on ev'rybody in here!"

Some of the people start spraying the perfume (or cologne) at Maria, but she holds her nose and pushes her way through the crowd.

"Cream! Cheese!" Maria calls to Cream and Cheese. "Hold your noses! Don't breathe the scent!"

Amy and Vanilla come closer toward Cream and Cheese and spray the perfume at them, but they hold their noses as they turn away and rush toward Maria.

Cream calls to Maria, "Maria, help!"

Maria grabs Cream's hand.

Maria tells Cream, "Hang on tight and keep holding your nose!"

Both girls run through the crowd as they hold their noses and each other's hand. Cheese follows them, holding his nose. The zombie-like crowd chase after them, but are very, very slow, so, Maria, Cream, and Cheese escape with ease. Soon, they enter a stall in the women's dressing room and close the stall door. The three stop holding their noses as Cream and Cheese sigh in relief with their backs against the wall and Maria looks through the crack in the door in curiosity.

"That was close," Cream says.

"Chao chao chao," Cheese agrees.

"There has to be some reason why this perfume is making ev'ryone act this way," Maria wonders.

Suddenly, she gasps.

"Hey, Cream," she tells Cream, "look at this."

Cream and Cheese curiously go under Maria and look through the door crack. The three see a round middle-aged man behind the perfume counter wearing a department store uniform. He has a brown mustache on his face. He also wears gray goggles on the top of his bald head and purple glasses over his eyes. He has a mischievious grin as his places lavender bottles of perfume and cologne on the counter.

"Is that Dr. Eggman, the one you told me about?" Maria asks Cream.

"Yes, that's him," Cream tells Maria. "He must have followed us to this world after all."

Maria, Cream, and Cheese come away from the crack and face each other.

"So, that perfume is his doing," Maria concludes.

"He must be trying to build his Eggman Empire here again," Cream adds.

"Chao," Cheese replies.

"We have to stop this somehow," Maria tells Cream and Cheese.

Cream asks, "But what can we do?"

"Chao chao chao," Cheese agrees.

Maria thinks for a minute. She looks around as she thinks. She gasps as she notices sprinklers on the ceiling over the zombie-like crowd. And in the middle of those sprinklers is a water valve. Maria smiles as she gets an idea.

"Hey, Cream," she asks as she looks at Cream, "could you get me to that valve up there?"

Cream and Cheese look at the valve. Then, they smile as they instantly realize what Maria's idea is.

Cream replies as she and Cheese look at Maria, "I can try."

Cheese excitedly rings out, "Chao chao!"

Maria nods in approval.

"Then, let's do it!" she exclaims.

Meanwhile, at the counter, Eggman, disguised as a department store salesman, admires the zombie-like crowd.

"Ah, yes," Eggman beams, "Ev'rything is going according to plan. ...for once. As soon as enough people are entranced my new Eau du Egg, I'll have them begin the construction of my Eggman Empire!" He curiously notices something and wonders, "Eh?"

Cream flies Maria to the valve as Cheese follows.

Eggman screams in horror upon seeing this, "Aah!" He frantically waves his arms, proclaiming, "They'll spoil all my hard work!"

He grabs an intercom microphone from underneath the counter.

Eggman demands through the mic, "Attention, all shoppers!" He points at Maria and Cream, comanding, "Stop them!"

The zombie-like crowd marches toward Maria, Cream, and Cheese. Maria reaches her hands up to the valve and tries to turn it, but it's hard to turn. Maria keeps trying as Cheese helps Maria turn it. Meanwhile, the zombie-like crowd spray the perfume (and cologne) at the three, but the scent is to low to sniff. Soon, Maria and Cheese succeed in turning the valve. And as they turn the valve, the sprinklers start to rain water on the crowd below. Everyone shakes off the trance as if to wake up from sleepwalking. Maria, Cream, and Cheese happily look on from above.

"It's working!" Cream exclaims. "Ev'rybody's returning to normal!"

"Chao chao!" Cheese replies.

Maria explains, "The water will wash off the perfume and make it too wet to smell anything."

Helen shakes off the trance.

She groans as she holds her head, "Oh, what happened?"

Amy and Vanilla shake off the trance, too.

"Did we miss something?" Amy asks.

"I'm not sure," Vanilla responds.

Eggman looks around in horror, crying, "No! This can't be! I almost had them!" He pouts, "And I would've gotten away with it, too, if it wasn't for those meddling kids!"

**A red vein sticks out of his forehead.**

He then curiously watches Maria, Cream, and Cheese as they come down. Cream brings Maria safely on the floor feet first and lets go as she lands safely. Cheese hovers beside them. Helen, Amy, and Vanilla happily go to Maria, Cream, and Cheese who notice them. Cream hugs Vanilla, Amy hugs Cheese, and Maria hugs Helen. Eggman concentrates on Maria's face.

"Maria?" Eggman wonders. "My own cousin, alive?"

He mischieviously grins.

"Heh. This just got a little more interesting. Which means," he declares, "it's time for plan B!"

He presses a button under the countertop. Suddenly, the room starts to shake which makes everyone scream in horror as they rush out of the store. Helen, Maria, Amy, Cream, Cheese, and Vanilla stop hugging and look around the room in worry.

"Now, what's happening?" Amy asks in fear.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Helen proclaims.

The counter reforms itself into a giant red robot with Eggman at the control panel for the upper torso. Helen, Maria, Amy, Cream, Cheese, and Vanilla gasp in horror upon seeing this. Eggman then pulls off his department store uniform, revealing his usual outfit.

Eggman proclaims, "Now, let the destruction begin!"

Meanwhile, at the Thorndyke mansion, Topaz stands in the main hall, speaking on her military radio communicator.

She seriously replies, "Yes, chief, we're on it!"

She puts the communicator away and turns to Chris, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Rouge, Ella, Tanaka, and Chuck who had been curiously looking on.

"That was the president," Topaz tells them. "It seems the local mall has been attacked by... Eggman."

Everyone else gasps in shock upon hearing Eggman's name.

"So, he did follow us here!" Tails concludes.

Rouge angrily adds, "...without any of us noticing."

Knuckles angrily complains, "I knew this would happen!"

Chris worriedly points out, "Hey, the girls are at the mall!"

Sonic shakes his fist in determination, declaring, "We have to stop him before he puts them in danger!"

A/N:  
Yep, the perfume was the "something simple" Eggman was talking about in the last chapter. And just as simple, Maria, Cream, and Cheese foiled that plan. I liked Eggman's reaction to his plan failing like that. I even added a "Scooby-Doo" quote in there. Luckily for him, he never leaves home without a backup plan. Will Sonic and the others get there in time? Stay tuned for the next chapter. In the meantime, read and review.


	3. A Family Unfair

DISCLAIMER: Characters, places, and objects are trademarks of Sega, Sonic Team, and/or Sonic Project

Author's Note:  
Here comes the big battle! Eggman's got a few tricks up his sleeve with his seemingly simplistic robot. But it's here that Maria confronts Eggman on her own, telling him what she thinks of him, her own cousin. And there's still that little matter to resolve between Shadow and Maria. Since Shadow still has amnesia, he's trying to figure out why Maria keeps showing up in his memory. Oops, almost forgot, any anime emotional "enhancements" will be in bold. Now, let's get this over with.

Chapter 3 - A Family Unfair

Amy, Cream, Cheese, and Vanilla run out of the store and into the main mall with Maria wheeling Helen right behind them. Eggman rides his leggy robot out of the store behind them, blasting the store entrance from the mall out of his way. The other shoppers run out of the mall at the sight of Eggman's new robot. The girls (and Cheese, too) look in horror at Eggman's robot, standing tall in the center of the mall.

"Is he always like this?" Maria asks.

"You don't know the half of it," Amy tells her.

Eggman chuckles, "Oh, ho ho ho!" He gloats as he looks down at the girls (and Cheese), "Not even Sonic can save you now, my pretties!"

Sonic's voice rang out, "Don't be too sure of yourself, Eggman!"

Eggman gasps in shock upon hearing Sonic's voice. He looks behind him and sure enough, Sonic, along with Tails, Knuckles, Rouge, and even Chris, are standing there in determination.

"But I thought you don't like to shop 'til you drop," Eggman teases Sonic.

"Doesn't mean I don't know a good bargain when I see it," Sonic explains. "And you just lost your value!"

Eggman mischieviously grins as he turns his robot to face Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Rouge, and Chris.

He tells them, "Then, let's see you escape my sales rush!"

He pulls a lever on the console and that launches a mini missile toward them, but they jump out of the way.

Sonic looks at Chris as Chris looks at him, telling him, "Chris, you and Tails protect the girls," he looks back at Eggman and concludes, "we got this!"

Chris nods in agreement, "Right!" He looks at Tails as Sonic lunges at Eggman's robot and asks, "Hear that, Tails?"

Tails nods in agreement since he already heard Sonic and Chris' conversation. Tails and Chris rush over to the girls (as well as Cheese) while Sonic, Knuckles, and Rouge go battle Eggman in his robot. Eggman fires more missiles at them, but Sonic spin-jumps them all, exploding them. Knuckles punches the knee of one leg while Rouge screw-kicks the other. This makes the robot wobble a bit.

Eggman worriedly tries to hang on, letting out a "Gah!"

As soon as the wobbling stops, Eggman looks down at Knuckles and Rouge, grinning.

"Nice try," he explains, "but this model is indestructable, even if you could knock me off balance. Now, I think it's time to squash you bugs."

Upon these words, Eggman's robot stomps toward Knuckles and Rouge, trying to smash them under its feet, but Knuckles and Rouge dodge every one of its footstep.

Eggman teasingly wags his finger and taunts, "Uh-uh-uh. I want you stuck on the floor like gum under a shoe."

He pushes a few buttons and some pale white goo shoots out at Knuckles and Rouge who keep dodging the robots footsteps. Rouge flies out of the goo's way, but it gets Knuckles' legs as it sticks to the floor, causing Knuckles to trip.

Knuckles worriedly falls with a "Whoa!" and lands face first with an "Oof!"

Rouge gasps in shock upon seeing this.

"Knuckles!" she calls out to him in concern.

She flies down to Knuckles as he struggles to break free. She grabs on to his hands. Then, she starts to pull him out of the goo. Knuckles adds to the effort, but the goo stays stuck to Knuckles and the floor. Tails, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Vanilla, Chris, Helen, and Maria look on near the entrance of another department store, out of the way of the robot's path.

"Poor Knuckles," Cream sympathizes. "I hope he'll be alright."

Vanilla comforts Cream, "Don't worry, dear. I'm sure he'll break free somehow."

Maria suddenly looks angry with Eggman. She rushes toward a stairway nearby. Tails, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Vanilla, Chris, and Helen notice this with gasps of shock.

Helen calls to Maria in concern, "Maria!"

"Where are you going?" Chris calls out.

Maria stops and looks back at them as she stands on the bottom step of of the stairway with her hands on the railing.

"To tell Eggman what I think of this!" she explains.

She looks in front of her and marches up the stairs as they look on. Meanwhile, Rouge is still trying to pull Knuckles out of the goo, but to no avail. Suddenly, they look up with gasps in horror as the robot's foot shadows over them.

"Pleasent dreams, lovebirds," Eggman teases.

The foot comes down toward them, but suddenly, Sonic spin-dashes under it to keep it from squishing them.

Eggman is surprised by this with a "What?"

Sonic's spin-dashing trips the robot, causing it to fall away from Knuckles and Rouge.

Eggman lets out a "Whoa!" as the robot falls.

Tails, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Vanilla, Chris, and Helen look on, out of the way of the falling robot. The robot lands with a thud. Chris rushes over to Knuckles trapped in the goo while Sonic and Rouge look on. Chris brings out of his pocket a test tube filled with yellow-colored liquid. He stands near the goo.

Chris holds the test tube over the goo, explaining, "This will get you free, Knuckles," he pours the liquid on the goo as he continues, "I mixed this up for an occasion like this."

The liquid melts the goo away, freeing Knuckles as Chris stops pouring. Knuckles looks happily at his freed body as Sonic, Rouge, and Chris happily look on.

Knuckles looks at Chris and tells him, "Thanks, Chris."

Chris beams, "No problem."

Eggman snickers, "Heh heh heh."

Hearing this, Sonic, Knuckles, Rouge, and Chris look at Eggman with gasps in surprise. Amy, Cream, Cheese, Vanilla, and Helen look at Eggman, too. Eggman brings the robot back to its feet.

"It'll take more than a great fall to break this robot," Eggman gloats.

Maria's voice calls out to him, "That's enough, Eggman!"

Eggman gasps in shock, "Huh?"

He looks behind him and notices Maria on a bridge above. She glares at him, angrily.

Eggman mischieviously grins, "Why, Maria," he turns his robot to face Maria and tells her, "it's so good we finally meet face to face. I must say, you look positively radiant after all these years, my dear, sweet cousin."

Maria is unmoved by Eggman's "compliments".

"You're no cousin of mine!" she proclaims.

Eggman gasps in shock upon hearing this.

"Sonic and the others told me all about you," Maria explains to him. "And after what I've seen just now, I believe they're right. How can we even be related?"

"But, Maria," Eggman pleads, "I admire our grandfather. Doesn't that count for something?"

"If you admire him so much, then, why are you doing all these bad things?" Maria points out.

Eggman becomes puzzled, letting out a "Huh?"

"My grandfather did a lot of good deeds in his life," she explains. "Sure, he went crazy and tried to destroy this planet, but that was only because he lost me. But if he were still around, if he saw what you've been doing all this time, he would be ashamed of you."

Eggman gasps in shock upon hearing this.

"In fact, I'm ashamed of you for him!" Maria scolds him. "You have no right to call yourself his grandson! You are a disgrace to the fam'ly name! And as of right now, on behalf of my grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik, I remove you from the Robotnik fam'ly tree! ...forever."

Eggman is stunned after hearing this. Then, he growls at Maria, angrily.

A red vein sticks out of his forehead.

"How dare you!" he blurted out. "I looked up to my grandfather, try to be as good a scientist as him, and you dare to tell me he wouldn't be proud of me? It's you he should be ashamed of for not following in his footsteps like I did! I'm beginning to wonder why he picked you over me. But if you want me removed, so be it."

He pulls the lever on the console which launches a missile right at Maria. Sonic, Knuckles, Rouge, and Chris stand in horror upon seeing this. Tails, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Vanilla, and Helen look at this in horror, too.

"Maria!" they all call out.

Cheese simultaneously chimes in with the others "Chao chao chao!"

Maria, however, does not move. In fact, she isn't afraid at all. She doesn't even flinch. She just looks at the missile coming toward her, still angry at Eggman. Eggman himself, however, quickly goes from being insulted to getting concerned for Maria.

"Come on, Maria, run away already," he thinks. "I cannot call back my missile. Save yourself before it's too late."

Maria still stands there, bravely facing the incoming missile. Suddenly, a pair of hands grab the tip of the missile, causing it to stop before it ever hits Maria. Maria gasps in shock upon seeing this. As do Sonic, Knuckles, Rouge, and Chris. And Tails, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Vanilla, and Helen do so as well. Even Eggman does the same. The hands holding the missile belong to Shadow who hovers above the ground in front of Maria, thanks to his shoes.

"I won't let you hurt her!" he tells Eggman.

"You saved me," Maria thinks, "Even with amnesia, you're always protecting me, Shadow."

Shadow suddenly turns the missile around and points it at Eggman, holding it above his head.

"Back at you, doctor!" Shadow shouts.

He hurls it at the robot Eggman is riding in. Eggman screams in horror upon seeing this. The missile hits the robot's control panel, causing both the missile and the robot to explode. This sends Eggman flying out the roof window and through the sky, going out of sight. Meanwhile, back inside the mall, Tails, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Vanilla, and Helen look at this sight.

Amy smiles, "Hmph. So much for that robot being indestructable."

Maria stands on the bridge and happily looks at Shadow who hovers in front of her with his back to her.

"Thank you, Shadow," she tells him.

Shadow gasps in surprise upon hearing this and looks back at Maria. He suddenly gets a vision of her in her old dress, turning her head to him with a bright smile. The vision fades as Maria, in her new outfit, stands there, still smiling at him.

He thinks, "Why are you so familiar to me?"

Chris' voice calls to Maria, "Maria!"

Maria gasps in surpirse and looks to her left. She smiles as she notices Sonic, Knuckles, Rouge, and Chris happily running toward her. She turns to them as they stand in front of her.

"Are you alright?" Chris asks Maria.

"You were really brave," Sonic compliments her, "standing up to Eggman like that."

"That was a crazy thing you did out there," Rouge points out.

Knuckles teases with a wink, "Don't ever do that again."

Shadow just looks on in puzzlement.

"You had us worried," Knuckles explains to Maria.

Shadow resumes his grim attitude.

"I'm sure your grandfather would be proud of you," Chris compliments Maria.

Maria looks at Sonic who gives her a thumbs up and winks at her. Maria nods at this in acknowledgement. Shadow looks in front of him. Then, he hovers down to the floor. Maria looks back at Shadow, but she gasps in surprise when she notices him "skating" away. She becomes worried as Sonic, Knuckles, Rouge, and Chris watch Shadow leave the mall in concern. Meanwhile, Topaz and the president's secretary, Christina Cooper, had been watching all this while standing in front of an eletronics store.

"The president had already alerted the military of Eggman's reappearance," Christina explains to Topaz. "As for Maria, we'll be sending our top agent to watch over her as he did with Christopher Thorndyke six years ago."

Topaz has the last word in the matter, "Now that Sonic's back, we could use all the help we can get."

Later that night, in Eggman's pyramid base, Eggman angrily sits on a table as Bocoe and Decoe put bandages on Eggman's wounds while Bokkun happily looks on, hoving beside them.

"Do not feel bad, doctor," Decoe tries to cheer Eggman up.

"That perfume was not the first time you lost the sweet smell of success," Bocoe explains, pointing out Eggman's many failures in the past.

"I still can't understand what my grandfather sees in her," Eggman complains about Maria. "Why he kept her with him on the ARK when he clearly sent me to that other world to protect me."

"Maybe he wanted to get rid of you," Bokkun speculates.

He quickly covers his mouth in horror, thinking about what Eggman might do to him upon hearing this.

A sweatdrop rolls down the side of his head.

However, Eggman just looks up in curiousity as Bocoe and Decoe stop applying bandages on him.

"Could Maria really be his fav'rite?" he ponders.

Suddenly, he notices something outside the window over him.

"Oh?" he wonders.

Three streaks of smoke fly through the sky, lit up by the stars. They are of different colors - the top one is purple, the bottom one is gray, and the middle one is green. They quickly disintergrate as Eggman, Bocoe, Decoe, and Bokkun look out the window in curiosity. Then, Eggman looks at "us" with a mischievious grin.

"Perhaps, this day wasn't a total loss after all," Eggman said, already plotting his next scheme.

Meanwhile, at the Thorndyke mansion, Shadow sits on the railing of the balcony outside of Chris' room, looking at the starry sky. Maria happily opens the sliding door from the inside and goes out toward Shadow.

"There you are," she says. "I knew I'd find you out here."

She leans on the railing beside him, looking at the sky.

"I wanted to thank you again for saving me," she explains.

Shadow just scoffs, "Yeah, well, just be careful next time."

Maria looks at Shadow in concern, telling him, "I'm fine, but why did you leave back there?"

"My services were no longer required: The doctor's plans were foiled and you are safe," he explains to her. "You don't need me anymore."

"That's not true," she protests.

Shadow curiously looks at Maria, asking, "Oh?"

"I really care about you as I have fifty years ago," she tells him.

"Fifty years ago?" Shadow wonders.

"I know you don't remember," Maria sympathizes, "but we used to be friends. Can't we be that way again?"

She holds Shadow's hand, tenderly. He notices this in surprise.

"...for old times sake?" adds Maria.

Shadow looks at her gentle face. Then, he suddenly becomes angry at her. He quickly pulls his hand away from hers which makes her gasp in shock.

"Back off!" he snaps at her. "I have no use for your sympathy."

"Shadow, I don't understand," Maria wonders.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I don't want my memory back?" Shadow explains.

He turns his head away from Maria as he closes his eyes.

"My past should just stay in the past for all I care," he insists to her.

He jumps off the ledge and lands safely on the ground, feet-first. Then, he rushes away from the mansion as Maria looks on.

She calls to Shadow, "Shadow, wait! Shadow!"

Shadow fades from sight. Maria looks down, sadly.

"First, my grandfather, and now, Shadow?" she wonders.

She leans on the railing.

"I feel so alone."

Sonic's voice tells her, "You're not alone."

Maria gasps in surprise and looks behind her. Sonic is standing in the doorway, smiling at her.

"What do you mean, Sonic?" she asks him.

Sonic walks toward her.

"Isn't it obvious?" he points out.

He jumps on the railing and sits beside her as they look at each other.

"You have us," Sonic explains. "We'll always be your friends. And as long as you've got friends, you're never alone."

He winks at her which makes her smile.

Maria tells him, "Thank you, Sonic." She and Sonic look at the sky as she wonders, "I just hope Shadow sees that, too."

"Give him time," Sonic comforts Maria, "he'll come around."

Meanwhile, Shadow rushes across a field.

"Forgive me, Maria," he thinks, "but I must find the answers on my own. Trust me, it's better this way."

He keeps going under the moonlit sky.

A/N:  
And there you have it, another episode draws to a close, paving the way for another. What a day for Maria: She disses Eggman and then, gets dissed herself by Shadow. Hopefully, she'll be feeling better by the time the next episode comes. Yes, this will be the game adaptation featuring that mysterious threesome who I've been hinting at throughout these first two stories. In the meantime, what do you think of this fic? Let me know, send your reviews!


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